“There may be other data sources from studies of similar compounds pertinent for consideration; for example, one reviewer suggested that we consider studies that were conducted to evaluate the toxicity and metabolism of “triazine” pesticide compounds.

Multiple sources of exposure should be considered, as there could be an additive effect. For example, one reviewer suggested that there may be exposure to melamine and its analogues from plastic products.

Although one reviewer stated that “there is no evidence of bioaccumulation,” other reviewers suggested that a scenario focused on possible chronic toxicity from longer duration exposure should be considered.

There should be some consideration of possible formation of other (more toxic) compounds such as might be created during heating.

Finally, there was a consensus among the peer reviewers additional research is needed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Miami, FL — June 13, 2007 â€“ MainStar America, LLC, Miami, Florida, is initiating a nationwide recall in accordance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the toothpaste made in China involving:

This recall has been initiated because the products may contain the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG). DEG is used in antifreeze and as a solvent, and is a Central Nervous System depressant and potent kidney and liver toxin.

PLEASE RETURN ALL PRODUCTS IMMEDIATELY TO THE STORES WHICH YOU PURCHASED THEM.

CONSUMERS WHO HAVE THE PRODUCTS SHOULD STOP USING/ RETURN / THROW AWAY.

Retailers immediately examine your inventory and quarantine product subject to recall. In addition, if you may have further distributed this product, please identify your customers and notify them at once of this product recall. Your notification to your customers may be enhanced by including a copy of this recall notification.

This voluntarily nationwide recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. No injuries or illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

Adverse Reactions or quality problems experience with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or fax.

110 Responses to “Recall Update: Friday”

Vaccines- some states allow vets to exempt animals due to health reasons.
Have *them* call the regulating agency to clarify if vaccines are contraindicated. Many vets don’t check things like that. Heck, some haven’t read the inserts in years, if at all.

We’re gonna do more here about some stuff you asked about a post or 2 ago.

You asked:
Also, can we determine WHEN South Afirca started showing sick pets? What months those begans showing up? I was thinking it was several months before WE had â€˜knownâ€™ problems here. Did that company over there ever mention any time frame for their purchases?

I’ve got a bunch of SA links to stories which says something–most reports began in February and continued through March & April 2007:

“But few companies here were as successful as Binzhou Futian, which in 2006 won contracts to ship pet food ingredients to major suppliers in the United States and South Africa. The American and South African middlemen say they found Binzhou Futian through online advertisements and commodity-trading Web sites. The companies did not bother to visit Binzhouâ€™s factories or to investigate its background or its export record.

“â€œIâ€™m not sure of the introduction, but I think it was through Google search,â€ said Leon Ekermans, a marketing director at Bester Feed and Grain, a South African grain trader. â€œWe were told by an intermediary that they were once a government company and made good feed.â€”

OK–they were shipping to both W-E here and Bester in SA at the same time–both contracts started in 2006–haven’t seen the month in 2006 the SA contract began, though.

You asked:
Anyone else remember THAT part of the story? I think it was in some Las Vegas newspaper maybe or TV site? Iâ€™d sure like a print-out of it now!

So, on Feb. 20 Menu Foods learned that they had contaminated pet food, but waited until March 16 for Chem Nutra to issue a recall. What I don’t understand–and I have been following this from a different angle–is that Miller said he first heard of the melamine contamination on March 29 while at a Trade Show in China, yet he recalled the product on March 16. How do those two dates make sense? He recalled before he knew there was a problem? Am I missing something or misinterpreting?

Here is a very readable European Food Safety Authority on Melamine and its analogues. It also talks about background exposure due to pesticides and plastics. It concurs with the S/RA for the most part. Some synergy issues and unknowns.

mittens,
Does this have anything to do with your posting about fertilizer? This article involves finding a way to break down atrazine and other triazine contaminants in the soil. It’s a bit older than your article, but it looks like this stuff has been around a while. It may really be getting around as melamine persists in the soil and is very mobile.

So, on Feb. 20 Menu Foods learned that they had contaminated pet food, but waited until March 16 for Chem Nutra to issue a recall. What I donâ€™t understandâ€“and I have been following this from a different angleâ€“is that Miller said he first heard of the melamine contamination on March 29 while at a Trade Show in China, yet he recalled the product on March 16. How do those two dates make sense? He recalled before he knew there was a problem? Am I missing something or misinterpreting?

This gets VERY muddy–here’s the link for his Congressional Committee testimony transcript. On page 2 of it, he breaks it down as to how the information is supposed to have been given them. It was MF who began the recalls on March 16, not CN. He’s saying that they were notified about a problem by MF on March 8, and it was than that they stopped shipping any more of the “wheat gluten”.

Purina’s 5.3-ounce Mighty DogÂ® pouch products, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution on March 16 as part of the Menu Foods recall. ONLY Mighty Dog pouch products and specific date codes of ALPO Prime Cuts canned dog food are being recalled.

That persistant little devil, atrazine, is banned in many countries:
An inappropriate herbicide was also used on the non-GM maize. About 75% of
the non-GM maize was grown using atrazine. This is persistent and more
powerful than the glufosinate used on the GM maize. However, the EC
recently banned this herbicide which will come into force in two years (this
decision was actually expected for many years - because of its toxicity,
atrazine is already banned in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy,
Austria, Sweden and Finland). Non-GM maize will almost certainly be grown
in future with a less powerful herbicide, which could negate the positive
effect of GM maize found by the FSEs.

Menusux and DMS, I re-read the Vegas article. It was Miller’s trip over to hina about the Bad glutens when they sat on the parking lot cement. Not the Buying trip. {and I think I do remember now that he bought it All online Only, never, Never even seeing the products, let alone testing them}

Also menusux is right about who did what on the March 16th date. It was MenuFoods who started the Recall. {I would also think that was preceeded by a call to Miller at ChemNutra}
But also remember one of the Pet Food companies forced Menu Foods hand to do a Recall. {I was thinking we thought that might be P&G? IAMS, did we ever verify that?}
MenuFoods had their own agenda for waiting I think. {stocks sales, salary bonuses etc}
But I also think without being “threatened with exposure” by the pet food company- whoever that was; they would have kept letting it slide IMHO.
As evident from their allowing it to go on and on when {sick/dying pet} Calls, were coming IN for Months before that March date.